Ikea Used Political Prisoners As Slave Labor

Like many global companies mass producing goods, Ikea has a past of unjust labor. The Telegraph reports:

Ikea developed strong links with the communist state in the 1970s, opening a number of manufacturing facilities, one of which, according to Stasi records discovered by German television company WDR, used political prisoners to construct sofas.

The factory in Waldheim stood next to a prison, and inmates were used as unpaid labour, it is claimed. Gaols in the Democratic Republic housed significant numbers of political prisoners, with some estimates indicating they made up at least 20 per cent of the entire prison population.

Quoted in a Stasi file, Ingvar Kamprad, Ikea’s founder, said while he had no official knowledge of the use of prison labour, if it did indeed exist “in the opinion of Ikea it would be in society’s interests.”

1-3 deal with the fact, ikea is ‘held’ by a ‘non profit company’ (which it obviously is not) , deforestation of pine forests, and the owner being a nazi. 4 is the fact ikea opened plants in the US and offered no benefits and absolute rock bottom min wages. 5 has to do with sustainability and consumerism (disposable furniture)

the other 45 reasons are varying degrees of vintage (mid century, space age, danish, industrial) and reclaimed furniture. which is infinetly cooler /more beautfiul. 51 is simply an aesthetic preferance. and 52 you already know.

ICE

53 their stuff is not durable at all

Wanooski

What are the other 51?

Anonymous

1-3 deal with the fact, ikea is ‘held’ by a ‘non profit company’ (which it obviously is not) , deforestation of pine forests, and the owner being a nazi. 4 is the fact ikea opened plants in the US and offered no benefits and absolute rock bottom min wages. 5 has to do with sustainability and consumerism (disposable furniture)

the other 45 reasons are varying degrees of vintage (mid century, space age, danish, industrial) and reclaimed furniture. which is infinetly cooler /more beautfiul. 51 is simply an aesthetic preferance. and 52 you already know.

Anonymous

1-3 deal with the fact, ikea is ‘held’ by a ‘non profit company’ (which it obviously is not) , deforestation of pine forests, and the owner being a nazi. 4 is the fact ikea opened plants in the US and offered no benefits and absolute rock bottom min wages. 5 has to do with sustainability and consumerism (disposable furniture)

the other 45 reasons are varying degrees of vintage (mid century, space age, danish, industrial) and reclaimed furniture. which is infinetly cooler /more beautfiul. 51 is simply an aesthetic preferance. and 52 you already know.

ICE

53 their stuff is not durable at all

Gray

OK I get why it is terrible to have political prisoners. I don’t get why it is so bad to have prisoners building sofas.

Gray

OK I get why it is terrible to have political prisoners. I don’t get why it is so bad to have prisoners building sofas.

Butter Knife

Out of context, prisoners building sofas is at least partially constructive. But if they aren’t being paid, and many of them should not be imprisoned at all, then it’s very slimy to have them doing so… especially when a private company is able to reap the profits from it.

Andrew

It takes jobs from law-abiding sofa-builders.

Butter Knife

Out of context, prisoners building sofas is at least partially constructive. But if they aren’t being paid, and many of them should not be imprisoned at all, then it’s very slimy to have them doing so… especially when a private company is able to reap the profits from it.

Andrew

It takes jobs from law-abiding sofa-builders.

http://thefirstchurchofmutterhals.blogspot.com/ mutterhals

You will have to pry my slave built Knutson table from my cold, dead hands.

http://thefirstchurchofmutterhals.blogspot.com/ mutterhals

You will have to pry my slave built Knutson table from my cold, dead hands.